


Immunity

by SailorChibi



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: A Lot of First Kisses, Angst and Fluff, Animal Traits, Basically just cute fluff at the end of the day, Blushing, F/M, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Injury, Marinette Comforts him, More comfort than hurt, Nicknames, Platonic sharing of a bed, Protective Adrien Agreste, a lot of hand holding, adrien is scared to lose his partner, cause Adrien is a romantic at heart, flustered marinette, hand holding, injured marinette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 06:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15880086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi
Summary: “Because ladybugs have poisonous blood!”“Fortunately, black cats are immune to that kind of poison...”Marinette stared.It felt like the whole world had screeched to a stop.Adrien met her gaze evenly and finished with a softly spoken, “My Lady.”





	Immunity

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on my phone over the course of two days and was determined to post it tonight. It’s the first thing I’ve ever written on my phone so hopefully it a) makes sense and b) doesn’t suck.

The dust floated around them, so thick that it was all she could see. Marinette licked her lips and tried not to gag, tasting blood and what must have been concrete. Her eyes stung and her throat was so dry that it burned; she thought longingly of a glass of water, or a mug of hot chocolate. Either would’ve been welcome. 

“Marinette?” Alya’s voice was loud in the sudden silence. Where before there had been screams, the cries of her frightened classmates, now there was quiet. Alya sounded overly loud in the cramped space. 

“I’m okay,” Marinette croaked. She only realized it was a lie when she shifted and pain shot through her right leg. Unbidden, a groan sprang from her lips. 

“Oh god,” someone - Kim? - whispered. A light went on. A cellphone light. Two more followed, illuminating their space. Marinette squinted, shielding her eyes. 

“Marinette!” Alya said again, anguished this time. Marinette followed her friend’s gaze, taking in the gash on her thigh with clinical disinterest. It was long, stretching from hip to knee, and deep. Blood was welling up quickly. Alya moved quickly, dropping to her knees and reaching out. 

“No!” Marinette snapped out, recoiling. Alya froze, hands out-stretched. 

“You’re _bleeding_!” Alya exclaimed. 

“So are you,” Marinette said. Alya’s hands were covered in scrapes and scratches, just like Marinette’s. Just like everyone’s. 

A quick glance around showed that Juleka had a broken arm, but otherwise the others had escaped mostly unharmed. Marinette felt a flicker of deep-seated relief: Alya, Nino and Adrien in particular were all safe. 

“Not like you are. We have to stop the bleeding,” Alya said. 

“I’m calling for help,” said Rose. 

“See? It’s no big deal. We’ll be outta here in no time,” Marinette said, trying to smile. They couldn’t even blame this mess on an akuma; it was due to an unexpected earthquake. You couldn’t fight an earthquake, though Marinette dearly wished you could. 

“But you’re still bleeding,” Alya said, very slowly and with a hint of exasperation laced with panic. “Would you let me -“

“No!” Marinette hissed again, and this time her denial caught the attention of Adrien. He detached himself from Chloe, who was clinging to him and wailing dramatically, and crawled over, eyes widening when he saw Marinette’s leg. 

“Shit,” he hissed, quickly removing his jacket. “Let me. I’ve got this,” he said to Alya. 

“I’m fine,” Marinette said, cupping her own hands over her wound. Part of it still showed because her hands were too small. She’d faced far worse as Ladybug, though this time there would be no Lucky Charm to erase the damage, and it wasn’t like she could tell anyone that. 

“You’re not fine,” Adrien said. He looked genuinely worried, which made her heart flutter. Under any other circumstances, she would’ve been thrilled to have his undivided attention. 

Just not now. 

“Please don’t,” Marinette said through gritted teeth. She could see the same lacerations on Adrien’s hands. Fear coiled in her stomach. 

“Marinette -“

“That fabric is expensive! You’ll ruin it,” Marinette pointed out. As far as excuses went it was flimsy, even if it was true, and Adrien looked at her like she was missing a few brain cells. 

“Don’t be silly,” he said. “Your health is more important.”

Shit but he was sweet. And stubborn. “I can do it myself.” She tried to reach for the jacket but he pulled it out of reach, giving her an odd look. 

“You can’t sit up far enough, and you shouldn’t be moving anyway. Just relax. Let me,” he said. 

“You can’t.”

“Why not?” 

Blame it on shock, exhaustion, pain, sheer frustration - Marinette didn’t know what,  
exactly, but her mouth opened and the words popped out, thankfully spoken quietly enough that only Adrien heard. 

“Because ladybugs have poisonous blood!”

He recoiled, green eyes opening up wide. Marinette literally bit her tongue too late, deeply regretting her decision to get out of bed that morning. Out of everything she could’ve said, nothing was more ludicrous than the truth. She prayed he’d chalk it up to hysteria, but the calculating look that was now crossing his face suggested she wasn’t going to be so lucky. 

Why hadn’t she said she had a blood-borne illness? Something contagious? It may not have shown on the outside, but inwardly she screamed at herself in sheer panic. 

She didn’t know what she expected. But Adrien leaning forward and forcefully pushing the jacket against her leg, wrapped the material around her and holding it down, wasn’t it. She opened her mouth to protest yet again but he cut her off with a whisper meant for her ears alone. 

“Fortunately, black cats are immune to that kind of poison...”

Marinette stared. 

It felt like the whole world had screeched to a stop. 

Adrien met her gaze evenly and finished with a softly spoken, “My Lady.”

She kept staring even as she felt her face going bright red out of shock. 

“Marinette? Are you okay? You look so flushed...” Alya had returned, looking even more worried as she saw the blood soaking into Adrien’s jacket. 

“I’ve got it. I’ve had first aid training. She’s fine; it’s just warm down here,” Adrien said, not taking his eyes off Marinette. But he sounded so sensible that Alya nodded. 

“It is. Rose called for help. We should be out of here soon.” She found Marinette’s hand and gave it a squeeze. 

“Thanks. Make sure Juleka keeps her arm still,” Adrien said. 

“I will.” Alya stood and moved away again. 

Her hand now free, Marinette lifted it. Not quite knowing why, she reached out. Without even knowing that was what she wanted to do, she messed Adrien’s hair up until it looked.... 

Well. 

“Fuck,” Marinette said eloquently, sinking back in shock. Half her brain was blank. The other half was having a full on meltdown. 

His smile was quick and half-hearted. “That sums it up.”

“Chat?” she whispered, just to be sure. 

He inclined his head, letting out a shuddery breath. “I could’ve lost you without even knowing it was you,” he whispered, and she didn’t think she was meant to hear, but she did and it made her heart clench. 

Because he was right. She’d never thought of it that way before. But if she’d died, Chat Noir would never have known. Her faithful partner would’ve been left alone, waiting for Ladybug to come back to him, never really sure what had happened to her. And vice versa, had it been Adrien. 

Adrien was Chat. 

Marinette thought her brain might be bleeding as she stared down at where Adrien’s hands were resting on her leg. There was fabric between them, but they were still touching. Adrien was touching her. 

It was also Chat, she reminded herself, and found the courage to put her trembling hand atop one of his. Adrien was still for a moment before he turned his hand to take hers, lowering his head and pressing their joined hands to his forehead. 

Looking down at that blond head, so familiar in ways she hadn’t anticipated, Marinette had to close her eyes and take a deep breath. She coughed a little from the dust. Adrien’s head rose and he peered up at her in concern. Blushing, she shook her head at him. 

It seemed to take forever before the rescue personnel showed up. The second shafts of light broke through across the floor, Adrien let go of her hand. Before Marinette could feel the loss, an arm slid under her knees and around her back. Adrien effortlessly hefted her up. 

“Hey!” Marinette said, startled. 

“You can’t walk,” he said simply. 

And he wasn’t wrong, but it still seemed odd. This was _Adrien_. Ladybug and Chat had carried each other countless times, of course. It was a necessity in their line of work. Hell, Marinette was pretty sure she’d carried Adrien bridal style before. 

But this was different. 

She was sure her face was still red as Adrien carried her outside and over to the nearest ambulance. The paramedics swarmed them, directing Adrien to set her down on a gurney. He obeyed, placing her down as gently as though she were made of glass. 

“Make sure they wear gloves,” Marinette pleaded. Ever since Tikki had warned her about this particular side effect, she’d been petrified that she would accidentally poison someone. Apparently it had happened to a Ladybug in the past, and the results had not been pretty. 

“I will,” Adrien promised. 

He stuck near her, hovering even as their other classmates were brought out. Even when Chloe surfaced with an indignant howl of “Adrikins!”, he didn’t even look around. If he’d had his tail, it would’ve been twitching in intensity. Marinette couldn’t decide if the attention should be embarrassed or if she should bask in finally getting what she never thought she’d have. 

Embarrassment won out when the paramedic, who was indeed wearing gloves, removed Adrien’s jacket and began cutting Marinette’s jeans off so as to better examine her injury. She flushed, but it was Adrien who turned a shade of crimson she’d never seen before. His head whipped around, staring fixedly in the opposite direction. He stayed that way until the paramedics had loosely wrapped Marinette’s leg in gauze. 

“You’ll need stitches,” the paramedic told Marinette at last, laying a sheet across her lap for modesty. “And a round of antibiotics. But you’re lucky. Whatever hit you, some kind of glass by my guess, didn’t hit anything vital.”

“I’ll go with her,” Adrien said in a voice that allowed for no argument. He turned his head back when Marinette squeezed his hand and eyed the paramedic in a way that was not unlike the way Chat looked at an akuma that had pissed him off. 

The paramedic merely glanced at him. “Normally we only family to ride,” he said. 

“I’m her partner,” Adrien said stubbornly. 

Marinette squeaked. She suddenly knew how a systems crash felt. She’d never thought she would hear those words come out of _Adrien Agreste’s_ mouth and it made her whole body seize up. 

The paramedic, perhaps seeing Adrien’s determination, conceded. “You were in the earthquake too, so you'll also need to get checked out. Go ahead.”

Looking satisfied, Adrien nimbly climbed up into the ambulance. Seeing his grace, how he moved, Marinette couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it before. She thought back to all the times she’d watched Adrien fence and could’ve banged her head against a wall for being so damned oblivious. 

Adrien’s phone beeped as they lifted the gurney up. He checked it. “It’s Alya,” he told her. “She says that the others are heading to the hospital too, and that she’ll contact your parents for you.” His mouth pinched a little. 

“Okay. Tell her thanks,” Marinette said. She wondered if Adrien would text his father, but couldn’t think of a way to ask. Not even Ladybug and Chat usually discussed such personal details. She didn’t know where the line was. 

She heard the doors of the ambulance shut and moments later the ambulance started to move. Marinette’s breath quickened. She didn’t like hospitals. But then Adrien took her hand again, which made her breathing come faster for a whole different reason. There were so many questions in her mind, but she knew this wasn’t the place to discuss them. They weren’t alone, and could be too easily overhead. 

“It’s okay,” Adrien whispered to her. “Relax, Bugaboo. I won’t leave you.”

Chat had said that to her once, those exact words. They relaxed Marinette more than they should’ve. She squeezed his hand back and closed her eyes, setting her free hand on her purse. Only then did she think about Tikki. 

“Chaton,” Marinette whispered. “My purse. Can you -“ She fumbled to give it to him. Adrien took it, looking puzzled until he felt the movement beneath the fabric. His confusion cleared and he nodded. 

“I’ve got it. Don’t worry,” he said, obviously trying to sound confident. But Marinette could hear the fragments of fear and pain and exhaustion now that she knew what to listen for. She _knew_ that voice. How had she never realized that? 

They sat in silence for the rest of the drive. When they reached the hospital, the paramedics pulled Marinette’s gurney out. She breathed out sharply as the gurney hit the ground and flinched as pain shot up her leg. She gripped Adrien’s hand tight enough to hurt; he winced, but didn’t ask her to let go or try to shake her hand off. If anything, he held on a bit tighter. 

A doctor bustled in and began to examine Marinette’s leg. After a moment, she gave Marinette a shot of something that stung, but which eventually made the world go soft and hazy at the edges. Marinette’s head lolled back; it felt like the pressure of Adrien’s hand was the only thing tethering her to the world. She clung to it. 

“Marinette!” Then her mom was there, and her dad. Alya had called them, Marinette remembered. Adrien tried to let go of her hand. She clung harder still, refusing to let him escape or run. 

“Maman,” Marinette said, pushing herself up. She realized belatedly that the doctor had finished the stitches and that her leg was bound in white gauze. A sheet was draped across her waist. 

“Oh honey,” Sabine said, coming around the far side of the bed. “We were so worried. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Marinette said for the fifth time, though now she had the proof to back it up. “It was just some stitches. No big deal.” She pointed to her bandaged leg. 

Sabine frowned. “Well, we’ll see what the doctor says. And what about you? Are you okay?”

Adrien started. “Uh, I’m fine.” He didn’t look fine, though. Marinette could understand her mother’s concern. A nurse had tended to Adrien while the doctor saw to Marinette, cleaning his scratches and scrapes and bandaging a gash on his temple. Like Marinette, his face was bruised and he was covered in dust. 

“Where are your parents?” Sabine asked. Her eyes were on their joined hands. Marinette could practically see the questions lighting up in her mind, but thankfully her mother had the good grace not to press right now. 

“Maman!” Marinette said. 

“I just wonder. Everyone else’s parents are here,” Sabine said. 

Adrien cleared his throat awkwardly. “My father is out of town, ma’am,” he mumbled. “He’s away on business. I haven’t contacted my bodyguard yet.”

Sabine’s eyebrows shot up. Marinette groaned inwardly. At least that answered her question about whether Adrien was going to call his dad, but she could see what was coming next and she couldn’t think of a way to stop it. 

“Then you’ll come home with us,” Sabine said decisively. 

Adrien’s eyes widened. “Oh, no, I couldn’t -“

“Nonsense. You were hurt too. You can’t go home to an empty house. I insist,” Sabine told him firmly, and Marinette knew it was a lost cause. Her mother loved to fuss. There was no way she was going to let Adrien go back to that empty house. 

“Uh...” Adrien said. His eyes darted to Marinette. She shrugged at him. Ladybug could face down akumas without blinking, but Marinette didn’t stand a hope in hell when it came to Sabine Dupain-Cheng. 

Besides, she didn’t disagree with her mother. 

“Excellent. It’s settled. Marinette, your dad went to find the doctor so we could get you discharged. I’ve brought a skirt for you to wear home,” Sabine said. “Adrien, would you mind waiting outside?”

“Oh. Sure,” Adrien said quickly, face reddening. He released Marinette’s hand and practically fled. 

“Such a polite young man,” Sabine said knowingly. 

“Maman, please,” Marinette groaned. 

“I’m just saying. I like him.”

“I know what you’re just saying,” Marinette grumbled. Her hand was oddly empty without Adrien’s in it. It wasn’t the first time - she’d felt bereft without Chat after patrol - but it was weird now, with her mother standing right beside her. 

Sabine just smiled and helped her to slide off the bed. Marinette leaned heavily against her as she slid the skirt up her legs and fastened it shut. It was much easier than trying to get on jeans, but she still spared a mournful thought for her favorite pink jeans. She’d have to save up the money to buy herself the material to make more. 

The nurse brought her a wheelchair. Marinette much preferred the feel of Adrien’s arms carrying her over the wheelchair, especially when they met up with her friends. Adrien was there with Nino and Alya. The looks on their faces made her want to shrivel up. 

“It’s protocol,” Sabine said, saving Marinette a lot of fussing. 

“Oh, Marinette,” Alya said, sounding tearful. She hurried over and carefully hugged Marinette. Sabine stepped away to give them some privacy. 

“I’m fine, really. The doctor said Adrien did a great job,” Marinette said, hugging her back. “Are you guys okay?”

“Nino sprained his ankle. I just have some bumps and bruises,” Alya said. She attempted a weak smile. “I hear Adrien is going home with you. Girl, I want details.”

Marinette snorted. “My mom is going to be hovering around us both. I’m not sure what kind of details you think you’re going to get.”

Alya shrugged. “Anything is better than nothing,” she said. Her smile was bigger this time, and she actually winked at Marinette. 

“I guess,” Marinette muttered. “We probably won’t be in school tomorrow.” Because her parents wouldn’t let her go, and she didn’t think Adrien would go without her. 

Maybe. But maybe not. 

“I don’t know if I will either. But if I am, I’ll get notes,” Alya said. She hugged Marinette again as Marinette’s father approached, only reluctantly letting go. 

Tom wheeled Marinette outside. She stood up and managed to awkwardly slide into the backseat. Adrien got in beside her on the opposite side. As her father started the car, Marinette turned to look at him. She startled when she saw a gleam of green eyes peeking above Adrien’s shirt collar. The catlike kwami blinked at her. 

“Plagg,” Adrien whispered, touching the kwami’s head with a gentle finger. 

“Mine is Tikki,” Marinette whispered back. She accepted her purse and opened it. Tikki stared up at her with round, worried blue eyes. Marinette cupped a hand around her, letting Tikki nuzzle against her. 

When she looked back at him, Adrien was smiling. Shyly, Marinette smiled back. Again she felt all those questions rising to the surface; again, she bit them back. Now was neither the time nor the place. 

Sabine took charge when they got to the bakery. She sent Adrien off to shower while Tom carried Marinette in. Marinette couldn’t shower, but her mother helped her to take a sponge bath. It wasn’t quite the same, but being clean felt so good she couldn’t complain. Washing the taste of dust out of her mouth was the best moment of the day. 

Well, she reconsidered, hobbling out of the bathroom and seeing Adrien at the table. Second best. 

Tom served up soup and fresh bread for dinner. Marinette took an antibiotic and a pain pill, then ate. She wasn’t as hungry as usual. She noticed her parents exchanging worried looks because of it, but after everything that had happened... food was the last thing on her mind. 

At last, she set her spoon down. “Papa, could you help me get up to bed? I think I need to lay down.”

“Sure,” Tom said. He stood and helped her up, letting her lean on him. Getting up into the room was hard, and then getting up the steps to her bed was even harder. He practically lifted her up until she could scramble the rest of the way. 

“Thanks,” she said, sinking back against her bed with a sigh. Suddenly having a room in the attic kind of sucked. 

“No problem. If you need anything, just call,” her father said. “We’ll get Adrien settled.”

“Okay,” Marinette said. “Turn the light off?”

“Of course.” Her ladder creaked. Then her father’s face appeared. He missed her cheek. “I love you. I’m so grateful you’re safe.”

“I love you too,” Marinette whispered. She watched him go, then collapsed back against the bed like a puppet with her strings cut. What a day. 

“Marinette? Are you okay?” Tikki appeared, hovering over her. 

“I’m fine, Tikki. It’s just been a really long day.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you earlier.”

“It’s not your fault. It happened so quickly. There was no time.” Marinette sighed and shivers, looking out through the window. Seeing the sky was comforting. 

“Can you believe it? Adrien is Chat Noir...” she whispered, turning the idea over in her head. 

“So it would seem,” Tikki said, settling down on Marinette’s pillow. “Does that make you happy?”

“I... I don’t know,” Marinette admitted. “I think so?”

“You don’t sound very sure.”

Marinette sighed. “I’m just tired,” she mumbled. 

She meant to close her eyes for only a moment, but didn’t end up opening them again until she heard a tapping at her window. Marinette didn’t move, but she heard her window open and someone slip in. Seconds later, that same someone was standing awkwardly over her bed. 

“Marinette -“

“Stop being creepy. Get in,” Marinette grumbled, lifting a corner of the blanket. Chat didn’t hesitate, scrambling in beside her. The blanket ended up over their heads. A green glow illuminated the space as Adrien detransformed; Marinette was left blinking and squinting. 

“Your parents are asleep,” Adrien whispered. 

“I figured. Can’t sleep?”

“No. Sorry I woke you.”

“It’s fine.” Marinette rubbed her eyes. She hadn’t been having a nightmare, exactly. But her sleep had been troubled. She wasn’t disappointed he’d woken her up. 

“How did you know?” she asked. “That my blood wouldn’t hurt you?”

“It’s something Plagg mentioned a while ago.” Adrien spoke through a yawn. “Something about a balance and partners. I stopped listening.”

Plagg hissed somewhere outside the blanket. Marinette giggled, though it was more from relief than anything. 

“I can’t believe it’s you,” Adrien said shyly. “We’ve known each other all this time.”

Marinette flushed, grateful for the dark. She hoped he hadn’t seen the pictures of him on her walls. “It’s weird.”

“Are you... disappointed?” Adrien sounded so hesitant. Marinette wished she could see him. 

“No! Not at all!” she said quickly. “You’re so... I mean, I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have as a partner.”

She couldn’t see it, but she thought he relaxed. At any rate, he reached for her hand again. He found it with such unerring accuracy that she suspected that, even when he was detransformed, he could see in the dark. Shit. 

“I think the same way,” he said quietly. “I was... so glad. And scared, at the same time. That’s not how I wanted to find out.”

She remembered what he’d said, about how they could’ve lost each other without knowing, and was suddenly fiercely glad that now they both knew the truth. It was worth it; she didn’t care what problems might arise from this, if only because now she could put a name to the face beneath Chat Noir’s mask. 

“Me either,” she said, squeezing his hand. “But we’re okay. We’re okay, mon minou.”

“Yeah,” he breathed, lifting her hand and pressing a kiss to it. Then, surprising her and make her heart race, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. Without thinking, she lifted her head. 

She felt him pause. 

Then he lightly kissed her on the mouth. 

Marinette didn’t move, didn’t breathe, didn’t even think. Every inch of her felt paralyzed. Her mouth hung open uselessly. She knew she should say something. But she couldn’t think of a single word. 

“I’m so glad,” Adrien said again. “I don’t have to choose between you and Ladybug. The two girls I like... are one girl.”

Oh. That quelled a fear that hadn’t fully materialized. Marinette only then realized the heaviness of the silence, the expectation, and it hit her that, incredible as it sounded, Adrien probably had the same fear. She’d spent two years turning down Chat’s advances, after all. 

“Me too,” she whispered. “It’s... so much easier knowing it’s just one boy.” Her cheeks felt hot again. “Though I’m not giving you permission to flirt even more with me, Chaton.”

Adrien chuckled. “You like it. And you like my puns.” 

“Keep telling yourself that,” Marinette muttered through a yawn. He’d kissed her! Her partner had kissed her! Her dreams could only be good after this. 

She thought he might have left after that, but he didn’t. He stayed in the bed with her, burrowed under the blankets, joined by their hands. She could tell when he fell asleep, because his grip on her hand relaxed ever so slightly. Marinette held on a little tighter, just because, and, mindful of her leg, dared to lean over to him. 

“I’m glad it’s you too,” she whispered. Summoning up all her courage, she kissed his cheek. Then she laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://tsuki-chibi.tumblr.com/).


End file.
